This 5.5" x 60 box-pressed beast from Nicaragua comes in boxes of 10 for $249. Crafted to commemorate Jose Padron's 75th birthday, it combines five-year-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos under a Maduro wrapper that's darker than midnight coffee. The double bands aren't just decoration - they're battle scars from intense fermentation. Expect full-bodied power that'd make a Cuban cigar blush.
The cold draw serves black pepper with molasses undertones. Initial puffs deliver espresso bitterness balanced by raisin sweetness - think burnt caramel drizzled over 80% dark chocolate. Ash holds firm for two inches, revealing tight combustion.
At the halfway point, the nicotine starts flexing. Leather and wet earth emerge, with occasional cedar spikes that cut through the cocoa density. Retrohale brings white pepper sting - it's like sniffing freshly ground Sumatra coffee beans.
Last third gets messy in the best way. Charred meat flavors mix with baking spices (allspice > cinnamon), while the maduro sweetness shifts toward brown sugar. Smoke time clocks 75-90 minutes depending on draw speed. Warning: newbies might tap out at band removal.
The box-pressed format feels like a stone tablet in hand. Maduro wrapper shows minimal veins with oily sheen - rub your fingers across and they'll glisten. Foot inspection reveals perfect bunching; no soft spots despite the chunky 60 ring gauge. Triple caps ensure clean cuts with minimal wrapper unraveling.
